Holding bay a health hazard, say truckers

TRUCKERS who use the National Railways of Zimbabwe-owned Road Motor Services (RMS) depot in Mutare have accused the company of exposing them to serious health hazards by continuing to neglect the holding bay, despite highlighting their problems late last year.

The fuel truckers closed off the depot in November last year protesting against poor sanitation and service delivery.

More than 100 tankers coming from Mozambique park at the depot on a daily basis, as they await clearance by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.

Some of the truckers last week said NRZ and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority had not done any of the things they had promised to do before the year ended.

“We have been paying and are still paying $5 per day for parking as we wait for sealing by revenue authorities, but we are still not being provided with the most basic facilities at the bay,” said a trucker who identified himself as Charles.

“One cannot take a shower, let alone use the toilet due to lack of proper ablution facilities.”

After last year’s protest, NRZ public relations manager Mr Nyasha Maravanyika, promised that the company was seized with the matter and would gravel and pave the depot through their works and building services.

In an interview with The Herald last week, Mr Maravanyika indicated that the development and upgrading of the site was in progress.

He said the development of infrastructure did not occur all at once and that it was a process that happened in stages.

“Issues cannot all be addressed overnight as it is a process to develop infrastructure,” he said. “We took heed of the complaints lodged last year and we are taking up the issue one step at a time.

“At the moment, we have managed to fill in the potholes surrounding the holding bay for easy accessibility to the site and we are gathering material meant to address the ablution issue.”

Mr Maravanyika said the levelling and paving of the place was still part of their long term plans, as well as the provision of other amenities.

He said the ablution facilities would be upgraded and completed in about two weeks.